


Reborn: An Alternate End

by caneeljoy



Category: Blood (Korea TV)
Genre: (because fuck canon), AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Hospital Jargon, Is It Gay? Or Are They Just Bros? It's Up To You, M/M, TW: Blood, TW: Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 18:52:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18922993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caneeljoy/pseuds/caneeljoy
Summary: For all those angry at the bullshit ending of "Blood," here's your fix-it.





	Reborn: An Alternate End

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I am so, so sorry to anyone subscribed to my profile hoping for more YoI. Since the show hasn't put out any new materials in such a long time, I've fallen out of love with the fandom a bit. Here's an older fanfiction I never thought to upload. Dedicated to my sis; thanks for reading :D
> 
> SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING EPISODES OF THE K-DRAMA "BLOOD."

“Hello, Chief.”

A trickle of blood slid down Hyun Woo’s neck. He opened his mouth to speak, but the man behind him struck a vicious blow to the side of his head.

“It’s me, Joo In Ho. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Ji Sang’s growl was loud enough for Hyun Woo to hear. “You…”

“Your house is very nice.” In Ho’s voice dripped with honey. Bile rose in Hyun Woo’s throat. “And it’s not just your house that’s nice. You also have quite the accomplished researcher.”

In Ho held his phone in front of Hyun Woo’s face. Hyun Woo stared up at the man, fighting to keep his voice level and panic under control:

“...Ji Sang.”

“Hyun Woo!”

“Ji Sang…” Hyun Woo trembled and couldn’t stop. His mouth tasted like metal. His lips were almost too swollen to speak. “I’m sorry. I… gave them all our files, our data. They said they’d kill Doctor Yoo if I didn’t.”

Now, In Ho’s smile stretched across his entire face. Hyun Woo focused on the screen, watching seconds tick towards his death.

“Ji Sang—!” He was going to die. Oh, god, _he was going to die,_ and why did it _hurt_ so much—“You’ll forgive me, right—?”

“Joo In Ho…”

 _He didn’t say yes_ was the only thought in Hyun Woo’s mind, _he didn’t say yes, please just say yes before I_ — _Before…_ Hyun Woo couldn’t feel his body.

As he hung up on Ji Sang, In Ho held Hyun Woo’s gaze. Smiling.

_This is it. It’s over._

Hyun Woo froze in place, shaking, shaking—

 _Always a pawn in this game. The Director’s_ —

 _But I_ —

 _I wish_ —

“Let’s finish this quickly, shall we?” In Ho said. “I have better things to be doing.”

“He’ll kill you,” Hyun Woo managed, blood pooling in his mouth. “He’ll—kill you—All of you—”

In Ho, with that same smile and blank stare, accepted a handgun from a henchman and pressed the muzzle to Hyun Woo’s forehead.

“Well, then,” said In Ho, clicking off the safety. “He can certainly try.”

As In Ho’s finger tightened around the trigger, Hyun Woo jerked away.

Incredible pain bloomed in the right side of his head.

Without time for any last words, any more tears… Hyun Woo fell into darkness before his body hit the floor.

  
  


* * *

 

 

Void. He floated, unfeeling, unseeing…

His lips? He could feel his lips. Something hot… Metallic? Burning his throat.

 

_Is this death?_

 

Colder than Hyun Woo expected. So cold. He ached to his core.

And his heartbeat sped and slowed, his body unable to decide whether to keep him alive or not.

 

“—sorry—!”

“—zero degree—”

“—everything we c—”

 

So _cold_. Nothing but the cold, now—no thought, no panic, only ice running through his veins, pumping through his heart. He could feel his body spasming, teeth chattering, back arching. Sometimes he felt hands holding him down; sometimes he couldn’t feel anything at all.

Numb. Completely numb.

 

“—ALONE!”

“—i Sang—”

 

“It wasn’t enough—”

“—can’t know th—”

 

For a while, he burned. His insides were on fire and no amount of logical thought (or lack thereof) could convince him otherwise. Then the ice returned, rising up his throat and spilling from his lips. All the air in his lungs, too, flowed out, sucking the fire with it.

The absence of temperature left a horrific ache behind. At last, he fell into true unconsciousness.

 

 _“Please, Hyun Woo_ —

 _“Please wake up_ —"

  


 

* * *

 

“We just need to be patient, Ji Sang. He’s going to be fine.”

Ji Sang didn’t need to sleep much, but he shook with exhaustion. For days, Hyun Woo’s condition had been touch-and-go; after all, they were in uncharted territory, as Ji Sang had never witnessed the turning of a new vampire.

Hyun Woo—he’d been on the edge of death when Ji Sang found him. He’d carried Hyun Woo to his bed and dialed it to its coldest setting, cut his arm and dripped toxic blood into his mouth in an impulsive attempt to save him, but…

What if his cerebral tissue had started to decay before then? What if he was in pain?

...Of course he was in pain.

Now that Ji Sang had the time, he doubted. Had he done the right thing? Could he justify deciding that Hyun Woo would spend the rest of his life as a monster?

But how could he have sat back and watched his closest friend die?

Ji Sang braced himself against the kitchen counter, head hanging down. He closed his eyes. “What if we were too late—?”

Ri Ta sighed and crossed the room. She slipped under his arm and hugged him.

“He’s going to be fine,” she repeated into his shoulder. “He’s strong. We did everything we could. Let’s wait a little longer.”

Ji Sang looked down at her, face pained. “Ri Ta—”

“Shh, shh, it’s going to be okay,” she said, but Ji Sang’s eyes stayed dry. He’d cried too much to cry any more.

 

 

 

 

A week passed. Hyun Woo showed no signs of improvement, or of anything, really, besides a struggle between fever and chills.

Ri Ta returned to the hospital at Ji Sang’s insistence. She came back each afternoon to report any new developments. The Director, she said, seemed surprised Ji Sang hadn’t come storming over and tried to kill him. Ri Ta convinced the Director that Ji Sang was deep in mourning and refused to see anyone. With Dr. Jung’s help, the Director didn’t suspect a thing.

In fact, he used Ri Ta to pass along a gracious message: he would give Ji Sang two full weeks to mourn and make arrangements, and then he would meet Ji Sang at his home to “discuss the future of Ward 21A.”

Though time was of the essence in finding the cure and curing the patients of 21A of VBT-01, Ji Sang couldn’t bear to leave Hyun Woo’s side.

So, Dr. Jung came to his apartment one sunny afternoon, a file of information under his arm and wearing black. Ji Sang took him into Hyun Woo’s study and nodded to Ri Ta, who shut the door and went to sit with Hyun Woo.

Dr. Jung took a breath. “Doctor… There are no words. I am deeply sorry for your loss.”

Ji Sang kept his mouth shut, looking away. He hoped he came off as lost in thought rather than evasive.

“Here.” Dr. Jung set the file on the table in front of Ji Sang. “These were the last reports sent to me by Hyun Woo. You should read them, but…”

He cleared his throat and looked down. “I… think you should prepare yourself first.”

 

 

To solve their problems, to create the cure for vampirism, to free all the innocent patients in Ward 21A… Ji Sang needed to…

Die.

He could accept that.

Ji Sang could practically hear Hyun Woo’s voice in his head, in that tone he got when he got really riled up: _“You ridiculous, self-sacrificing_ — _T_ _here has to be another way!”_ He almost smiled, thinking about it.

But he didn’t smile. Hyun Woo laid unconscious in his bedroom, likely in agony, because of a decision Ji Sang had made in his stead. Who was Ji Sang to play God, to find a loophole? Vampirism, a sickness Ji Sang wouldn’t wish on anybody; he'd cursed his only friend with it because he was too scared to be alone.

Perhaps it would have been best to let nature take its course…

“I apologize for thrusting this on you when you’re in mourning,” Dr. Jung said. “I delayed as long as I thought I could. The Director is becoming restless in your absence, and Ga Yeon has passed on that he is planning to advance the—”

Ji Sang’s brain finally caught up with the conversation. “Ga Yeon?”

“Ah, right, I forgot.” Dr. Jung managed a smile. “There is some good news in all this. Ga Yeon turned to our side after the Director’s latest order to kill Ri Ta—”

“The Director’s latest _what?”_

Dr. Jung blinked at him. “Ri Ta didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me _what?”_

“Oh.” The doctor looked sheepish. “I’ve done it now… I’m sorry, this must be too much after—”

“JI SANG!”

Still in shock, Ji Sang raised his head to see Ri Ta standing in the doorway, panting.

“Come quickly,” she gasped. “His heart’s stopped.”

“What? Whose heart?” Dr. Jung leapt to his feet. Ji Sang was already running down the hall.

 

Dr. Jung stopped in the doorway, unable to believe his eyes.

Hyun Woo, a dead man, was lying on a strange bed, attached to countless machines with Taemin labels on them. The heart monitor droned; Ri Ta looked ready to cry, and Ji Sang darted from screen to screen, face like stone.

“Wh… How—What’s…?”

“He’s gone into cardiac arrest,” Ji Sang said, not even looking up from taking Hyun Woo’s pulse.

“Because his core temperature is below 0 degrees—!” Dr. Jung fought off shock. “Don’t we need to warm him—”

“Dr. Jung!” Ji Sang barked. “Put two and two together!”

Ri Ta drew herself up to her full height and took Dr. Jung by the arm.

“Come with me,” she said. “Let’s leave them be.”

“But—”

“We’ll only be in the way,” Ri Ta said softly. “Come on. Ji Sang knows what he’s doing.”

Dr. Jung glanced back. Ji Sang had started chest compressions. Hyun Woo convulsed, blood bubbling at his lips. Ji Sang’s shoulders were tense; he looked ready to shatter into pieces.

The doctor let himself be led out.

 

 

“You understand?” Ri Ta asked, flipping through the stacks of paper. “Ji Sang wouldn’t have done it unless he thought there was no other way.”

“I understand,” said Dr. Jung. “I was caught off guard, is all.”

Ri Ta set the file on the table. “Your research. This means—”

“Yes.” Dr. Jung swallowed. “Ji Sang’s blood is the only way to cultivate this enzyme, Julino-01. It is completely unique to him and cannot be replicated.”

“Replicated…”

“Is something on your mind, Doctor?”

“Yes, in fact.” Ri Ta stood. She stared down at the file, face intense. “I had an… idea.”

“Go on.”

“When a human is turned into a vampire,” Ri Ta said, “what happens to the blood?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Their blood. The human’s blood,” she went on, beginning to pace. “Would it be converted by the virus into a unique mixture of VBT-01 and the original blood?”

“I have no clue,” said Dr. Jung. “We’ve never studied a transformation before, or the way VBT-01 behaves in specific instances with—”

“Is it possible,” she spoke over him, “that the blood used to transmit the virus _replaces_ the new host’s blood?”

“I… I don’t kn—” Dr. Jung inhaled. _“Oh._ I understand what you—That is, if Ji Sang’s blood transmitted the virus to Hyun Woo—”

“—It’s possible that his blood could be replaced by, or at least incorporated into, Hyun Woo’s. Yes,” Ri Ta said. “That was my thought. And if his heart stops again—”

“—He will produce Julino-01 after his body experiences ‘death.’” Dr. Jung had perked up, but then he sighed. “I need to test this theory, of course, take a few blood samples, and we do know he needs to be dead for twenty to thirty minutes—”

“—Since his blood isn’t fully Ji Sang’s but isn’t fully human, is there a possibility that the cultivation time could be shorter?”

“It is a possibility,” the doctor conceded, but he still looked troubled. “Doctor, isn’t this a bit sadistic? We would… We would be waiting for his heart to stop again…”

“It’s a safer idea than having Ji Sang kill himself,” Ri Ta snapped.

“That’s fair, but I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves—”

Ji Sang appeared in the doorway. His hands were covered with blood, and even for someone naturally pale, his face looked whiter than normal.

“He’s stable,” he said, hoarse. “But I can’t stop the hemoptysis. It’s like he’s hurting and healing himself in cycles.”

“Or,” Ri Ta said, absently playing with her collar, “his body is attempting to reject your blood.”

“That’s—That’s not—” Ji Sang closed his eyes and dropped into a chair, head in his hands. He looked up after a long moment, eyes exhausted. “Have you two found something out?”

Dr. Jung and Ri Ta exchanged a look.

“Yes,” Dr. Jung said. “But I don’t think you’ll like it.”

 

 

Ji Sang, for lack of a better term, flipped out when they told him. Ri Ta talked him down while waving Dr. Jung away; he took a sample of Hyun Woo’s blood and high-tailed it out of the apartment.

“I have no issue with dying,” Ji Sang kept saying. “I _refuse_ to let you… _wait_ for Hyun Woo’s heart to _stop_ , and then just… let him _stay dead_ for long enough to harvest the Julino. _Out of the question.”_

“But it has a _chance_ of working,” Ri Ta kept replying in turn. “Didn’t you say the virus’ healing factor is increased tenfold around the time of infection? It’s safer than—!”

_“We can’t know it will work!”_

“It’s better than _killing you!”_

 _“You didn’t even tell me the Director had threatened your life_ — _!”_

And around and around they went.

 

 

Three days later, Hyun Woo went into cardiac arrest again. Dr. Jung arrived in minutes, a small suitcase in hand.

Ri Ta found Ji Sang sitting in a chair beside the bed. Hyun Woo laid unmoving. The heart monitor began to flatline.

Ji Sang spoke in a voice cold as the ninth circle of hell:

“You have five minutes.”

 

Dr. Jung drew two sizeable blood samples from Hyun Woo and stepped aside as Ji Sang restarted his friend’s heart. A day later, the doctor sent Ri Ta home with the news that there was, in fact, Julino-01 present in Hyun Woo’s blood. Enough to create the cure; he couldn’t tell how much yet. They would formulate the antidote and keep it safe while Ji Sang and Ri Ta found a way to defeat the Director.

The last thing on Ji Sang’s mind was the Director.

Hyun Woo’s face lost color day after day, until his skin was shock-white and his veins stood out against his skin. Ji Sang sat by his bedside day after day, staring at nothing. What if this would be his friend’s deathbed? What if his heart couldn’t take another missed beat?

Five more days dragged by. The Director’s deadline approached. Finally, Ri Ta forced Ji Sang out of his bedroom and onto the couch.

“If you don’t go to sleep right now,” she said, “I’m going to call Dr. Jung and have him anesthetize you. Now take a nap, and I’ll make dinner.”

 

 

When Ji Sang woke up, the clock read 5:15 AM.

Ri Ta looked up from her phone and smiled. “Did you sleep well?”

“How is he?” Ji Sang kicked off his blanket.

“He’s fine. I’ve been checking on him three times an hour.” Ri Ta pointed to the kitchen. “I made egg sandwiches. You need to eat something.”

The room spun when Ji Sang stood. Maybe he should think about eating more often. He helped himself to a cold sandwich. It didn’t taste like much of anything, but he finished it to preserve Ri Ta’s feelings. Ri Ta put the tray in the oven and turned in on low, and busied herself pouring two glasses of juice.

“Thank you.” Ji Sang put an arm around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I…”

“Shh, it’s okay,” she said. “I understand. He’ll be okay. I know it.”

“But it… It’s been too long.” Impossibly, Ji Sang’s eyes stung. “What if—”

A _thud_ from the next room over cut him off.

 

 

Hyun Woo’s first thought: _Am I still alive?_

His second: _Why?_

(He’d known. Ji Sang hadn’t, but he had. Ri Ta had become indispensable to Ji Sang; she was the Director’s last resort. Him? Ji Sang’s longtime friend, his brother… and yet, disposable. That’s how it was with love. Hyun Woo accepted that.)

So why… wasn’t he dead?

Faint yellow light pressed against his eyelids, but… Why was it so dark?

Oh. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet.

...Oh. Bad decision.

 

They found Hyun Woo curled in the fetal position on the floor. Ri Ta stepped forward, but Ji Sang grabbed her and pulled her behind him.

Ri Ta looked at Ji Sang oddly, but he didn’t even register it. His ears were ringing.

“Hyun Woo?” Ri Ta asked around Ji Sang’s shoulder. “Are you alright?”

(Ringing, ringing…

That frequency…)

“Stay back,” he said to Ri Ta.

Ji Sang knelt next to his friend, holding up his hand when Ri Ta started forward again. When he touched Hyun Woo’s arm, he flinched violently and curled up even tighter.

“Talk to me, Hyun Woo,” Ji Sang said, panic edging into his voice. “Can you hear me? Are you in pain?”

The veins on the backs of Hyun Woo’s arms stood out, dark against his skin. All of his veins were dark, now that Ji Sang took the time to look.

That’s right; Ji Sang’s blood wasn’t completely vampire…

Would that affect the transformation?

Before Ji Sang could dwell on that for too long, Hyun Woo screamed and sank his sharp fingernails into the floor. His eyes finally opened, and they swirled green-brown, green-brown, as he thrashed back and forth, so quickly his features blurred.

“Hyun Woo!” Ji Sang tried to hold him down. Hyun Woo choked in a breath and screamed again, fingers curling into fists and nails slicing into his palms. Blood dripped on the floor.

“It’s okay, it’s going to be okay,” Ji Sang murmured, hoping Hyun Woo was lucid enough to understand, “just hold on, it’ll be over soon—”

Chest heaving, Hyun Woo’s left arm shot across his body and gripped Ji Sang’s knee. His fingernails (clawed) cut through Ji Sang’s jeans and drew blood, but Ji Sang didn’t care. He put his hand over his friend’s and kept mumbling reassurances.

“Ji Sang? What can I d—”

“Please leave,” said Ji Sang, unable to chance a glance at Ri Ta. “If he turns violent, I might not be able to protect you.”

Ri Ta blanched and backed out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

Hyun Woo stopped screaming. He whimpered through clenched teeth and couldn’t seem to reopen his eyes. Ji Sang, helpless, stayed next to him, legs numb, talking softly and trying not to cry.

A few hours passed. Ri Ta came back with a bowl and a wet washcloth. She closed the curtains and stooped to kiss Ji Sang’s cheek. Ji Sang managed a smile and squeezed her hand with his free one.

The warm water seemed to soothe Hyun Woo; a few minutes after Ji Sang placed the cloth over his eyes, his forehead unwrinkled and his face relaxed.

An hour later, as the glow of the rising sun filtered through the curtains, Hyun Woo inhaled and rasped:

“...Ji Sang…”

“Hyun Woo—”

He gasped another breath: “Dark…”

Ji Sang removed the washcloth. Hyun Woo blinked and squinted, wincing. The tear tracks on his cheeks twisted and flaked.

“How do you feel?” Ji Sang’s voice cracked.

For a minute, Hyun Woo didn’t respond. His eyes focused, then began darting back and forth; they were green, now, brilliant sea-green. He released his death grip on Ji Sang and lifted his hand. Blood slipped between his fingers as his claws retracted.

His unbloodied hand lifted, shaking, to touch his throat.

“It hurts” was all he said.

  
  


* * *

 

As soon as Hyun Woo had the strength to sit up, Ji Sang helped him to his office. Hyun Woo staggered and giggled the whole way there, dazed and uncoordinated. He took the medication Ji Sang gave him—it was, in fact, the medication Hyun Woo himself had engineered to suppress the thirst of vampirism. (Hyun Woo would have laughed at the irony any other time, but he could still barely keep his head up.)

And as he slowly regained his ability to speak, he wouldn’t shut up.

“I’m really a vampire now?” he kept asking. And “Do I get super-strength? Am I going to live forever? Do I need to eat? Am I going to try to rip out the throat of every pretty girl I meet?”

Ji Sang guided him back to the bedroom, arm around his waist, gentle and slow, like he was handling something fragile.

“I can hear your blood,” Hyun Woo mumbled. He seemed to be getting weaker again. “Isn’t that weird? And that ringing you were talking about, or maybe I just have tinnitus. I wonder if I can hear heartbeats.”

“You can,” Ji Sang said absently. He was almost as much in shock as Hyun Woo.

A few feet from Ji Sang’s bed, Hyun Woo’s knees gave out. Ji Sang supported him the rest of the way, helped him lie down, and set the bed to a pleasant, cool temperature.

“Feels nice,” slurred Hyun Woo.

“Does it? It’s not too cold?”

Hyun Woo muttered a few incoherencies and passed out.

Ji Sang closed the curtains tightly. The infection was complete, of course, but it must have put undue strain on Hyun Woo’s body. Hopefully, a good rest would help.

His phone rang. Dr. Jung was on the line.

With Hyun Woo’s blood—that is, Ji Sang’s blood in a new host—the doctor was able to harvest enough Julino-01 to create a decent amount of the cure. Enough to cure all of Ward 21A…

Plus one dose.

 

 

When Ri Ta returned home from work, she found Ji Sang with his head in his hands.

  
  


* * *

  
  
_“Choi Kyung In’s arrest today outside of the illustrious Taemin Hospital has left the nation in shock. Police report the anonymous delivery of an incriminating recording that left no room for suspicion. Choi Kyung In, the hospital’s Associate Director, will be jailed without trial, leaving many wondering who will fill her position_ — _”_

 

Ji Sang turned off the TV and reached for his phone. He dialed Ga Yeon’s number.

“Oh, it’s you,” she said, sounding relieved. “Is everything alright?”

“You’ve delivered the picture, right?” Ji Sang ran a hand through his hair.

“Yes. He thinks Ri Ta is dead.”

“And you’ve made it safely to the hotel?”

“Yes. Chul Hoon and Ri Ta are watching a soap opera, I think. She’s worried about you.”

“Tell her not to be,” Ji Sang said. “It will all be over soon.”

Ga Yeon seemed to hesitate. “You have the cure?”

A small briefcase sat on the edge of the coffee table. Ji Sang swallowed.

“Yes,” he said.

“Have you and Hyun Woo decided yet?”

Hyun Woo was standing at the stove, smiling and stirring a pot of soup. Luvvy beeped something at him and Hyun Woo’s smile grew wider. He glanced over at Ji Sang, and his smile faltered.

“Is it time?” asked Hyun Woo.

“Nearly,” Ji Sang replied.

“Alright,” Ga Yeon said. “Then I wish you luck. And thank you. I would be there if I could, but I respect your decision. The Director will not be swayed.”

“Thank you, Ga Yeon. It’ll all be over soon,” Ji Sang said, and hung up.

Hyun Woo moved the pot to the back burner and came into the living room, sitting down next to Ji Sang. They were quiet for a long moment.

“I don’t want you to come,” said Ji Sang.

“You keep telling me that,” Hyun Woo said, “and I’m telling you I’m stronger now. You’ve taught me a lot this past week. I’m ready and I can help.”

“But I don’t _want_ you to help.” Ji Sang stared at the floor.

“Well, Ji Sang,” Hyun Woo said with an edge of playful sass, “you can’t stop me.”

Ji Sang looked up. His expression was vulnerable.

“I can’t lose you again,” he said, almost whispering.

Hyun Woo shook his head and half-smiled. “You won’t. I won’t go down easy and neither will you. You don’t need to fight alone anymore, Ji Sang. We can do this.”

He stood and extended his hand. “Together.”

For a minute, Ji Sang stared, then reached up and clasped it. Hyun Woo hauled him to his feet and into a tight hug.

“We will win this,” Hyun Woo said into his shoulder. “I know it.”

Ji Sang inhaled and thanked whatever God existed that Hyun Woo was still Hyun Woo.

 

The Director’s apartment was unguarded. He had no reason to fear, after all. Ji Sang was wrecked by the murder of his closest friend; what threat did he pose now?

And yet… Here stood Ji Sang, stepping out of the elevator, quaking like a leaf with bloodlust in his eyes.

“Ah. Here you are, Doctor. I’ve been expecting you for quite some time. It has been more than two weeks, has it not?” The Director smiled, arms behind his back. “I was beginning to think you’d taken the coward’s way out.”

“You…”

Ji Sang’s hand flicked, and a metal stake slid out of his jacket sleeve.

“Oh! So antiquated. How cute,” said the Director. “Are you really going to try and kill me with that toy?”

No reply. Ji Sang surged forward, and the Director rose to meet him.

 

Adrenaline sang through Ji Sang’s veins. He made sure to keep his face flaming with rage, but inside, he was euphoric. This was it. This was what they’d been working towards. There were no lackeys to distract him, no weaknesses the Director could exploit, no blow Ji Sang couldn’t dodge.

“Oh, too slow!” The Director seemed to be having fun, too, but that would end soon. He wrestled the stake from Ji Sang’s hands and swung. Ji Sang leapt back to avoid it.

In the corner of his vision, Ji Sang saw Hyun Woo’s hooded figure by the windows, securing a timed explosive to the wall.

“Damn you,” Ji Sang spat, feinting to the right and driving home a strong left hook.

The Director staggered back, growling. Ji Sang leapt forward, grabbed the front end of the stake, and made a weak effort to reclaim it. As he did so, he clamped onto the Director’s left arm and held fast, then got hold of his right wrist and held the stake away.

_“NOW!”_

Hyun Woo darted from the shadows behind, syringe in hand. Ji Sang’s face split into a smile.

The Director’s head started to turn, but he was too late.

 _“No_ —  _”_

In an incredible burst of strength, the Director wrenched his right hand back. Without time to hesitate, he sank the pointed tip into Ji Sang’s chest at the same moment Hyun Woo jabbed the needle into his neck and pressed the plunger down.

Face contorting, the Director fell onto all fours.

Ji Sang crumpled.

Hyun Woo rushed over. “Ji Sang—You—”

“It’s not fatal,” Ji Sang rasped. The Director had missed his mark and buried the weapon just below his clavicle. His vision blurred with pain, but he’d survive. A wound like this would heal in days.

“So you’ve finally managed to do it.” The Director coughed wetly. “This is my karma, isn’t it? Dying a slow death from the serum I used against you…”

“Oh, it’s not the death serum,” Hyun Woo said, casual as if they were having a chat over lunch. “It’s the cure.”

For the first time Ji Sang had ever seen, the Director was struck almost dumb.

“It’s… What?”

“The cure. The cure for vampirism.” Hyun Woo threw back his hoodie (he’d insisted on a grand reveal—“I didn’t die twice for nothing!”) and lifted his chin at the Director. “Created from Ji Sang’s blood and mine. We’ll cure all of Ward 21A, and you along with them.”

The Director’s bloodshot eyes flashed. He snarled and gathered himself, scrambling forward, eyes green and claws outstretched—

Hyun Woo backhanded him, hard. The crack echoed through the room. The Director hit the floor.

“Don’t even think about it,” he said, kicking the Director away for good measure. “I’m not the same weak human you tried to execute before.”

The Director twitched but couldn’t seem to get up.

Hyun Woo knelt by Ji Sang again. “Can you stand?”

Ji Sang nodded.

Helping Ji Sang to his feet, Hyun Woo put an arm around his waist and guided him, gentle and slow, to the elevator.

 

“Hello! I’m here!”

Doctor Choi rounded the corner to find Ji Sang and Ri Ta sitting on the couch. Ji Sang’s shoulder was wrapped in a light bandage, and he was dozing, head lolling back. Ri Ta was watching the news—every channel was milking the destruction of the Director’s apartment for all it was worth. (Said Director was currently in an institution. It seemed his mind was too fragile to survive the transition from vampire to human.)

“Shh,” Ri Ta said quietly. “He’s sleeping.”

“Why’d you guys call me here anyways?” Soo Eun pouted and crossed her arms. “I’ll just be the third wheel again.”

“Not quite.” Ri Ta’s smile was secretive. “Go into Ji Sang’s bedroom. Someone’s waiting for you.”

“If this is another blind date attempt,” Soo Eun whispered furiously as she went, “I’m _not_ going to be happy—”

She opened the door. Hyun Woo was sitting on Ji Sang’s bed—or, no, a replica of it, Ji Sang’s bed was right next to it.

Why were there two beds? she wondered absently as she fainted.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Ji Sang remained at Taemin for several years after Ri Ta took on the Director’s role. He saved countless lives. Hyun Woo was happy enough to remain at home, improving their medications but content enough without looking for a cure. After all, they already knew what it was.

Hyun Woo had made many advances: lengthened the lifespan of their thirst suppressants to a week, created specialized contacts that would hide the green… He’d even created a sunscreen strong enough to keep vampires from being burned by the rising and setting sun.

Ri Ta and Ji Sang shared his first sunrise together. Hyun Woo shared Ji Sang’s first sunset.

 

 

Now, Ri Ta was off exploring the world with the time she had left. She’d loved Ji Sang well, for decades, but she’d declined his offer to infect her.

“I don’t want to live forever,” she had told him. “I’m happy with the time we’ve had.”

And Soo Eun had left years ago, maybe five or six after Hyun Woo had turned. She’d found another man, and had three children. She and Hyun Woo still wrote to each other, even after all these years.

Since neither of them aged, Ji Sang knew he couldn’t stay at Taemin forever. Not long after Ri Ta stepped down, he handed in his resignation and returned home. Hyun Woo was reprogramming Luvvy with a sentry patrol modification when Ji Sang came in.

“Intruder! Intruder!” Luvvy produced a can of Mace.

“He’s not an intruder, you crazy machine.” Hyun Woo tweaked a few wires. “That’s Ji Sang, your other daddy.”

“I never signed any adoption papers,” Ji Sang said, rubbing his forehead with a makeup wipe. “Gah, I hate wearing all this crap. I handed in my notice, Hyun Woo. We’re free to go.”

“Really?” Hyun Woo stood and dusted his hands on his jeans. “Wow. Then… where do you want to go?”

Ji Sang studied Hyun Woo’s face. Even after all these years, the two of them had barely aged a day. He was sure that would change sometime, but now…

Now, they had the whole world in their hands.

“I don’t really know.”

He went to the half-open window and looked out over the buildings. A little hovercraft buzzed by. The setting sun burned orange and gold, washing the glass buildings in light.

Hyun Woo came to stand next to him. His steady frequency stayed in the back of Ji Sang’s mind, a reassurance always beside him.

“I don’t know either,” said Hyun Woo. “But I think it doesn’t really matter where we go at this point. As long as we’re together.”

Ji Sang broke the moment by snorting. “That sounds like a line from a cheap romance.”

“Hey! I worked long and hard on that line! Don’t laugh at my hard work! Ji Saaaang—”

Their laughter drifted out the open window and dissipated in the sounds of the city.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
